Toasted: Is burnout affecting otolaryngology trainee career decisions?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Well-being
• Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Burnout is a widespread issue in medicine, particularly affecting Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residents and fellows.
• The impact of burnout on career trajectory within this specialty remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how personal burnout affects the future career choices of otolaryngology trainees.
• To assess the influence of perceived faculty burnout on residents' and fellows' career decisions.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous, national, cross-sectional survey was distributed to Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency programs in the U.S.
• The survey targeted current residents and fellows to gather data on burnout and career intentions.

Main Results:

• Burnout influenced fellowship application decisions for 41.3% and academic medicine choices for 46.9% of respondents.
• Perceived burnout among faculty impacted career decisions for 61% of trainees.
• Qualitative themes included managing burnout, seeking work-life balance, and the effect of observed faculty burnout.

Conclusions:

• Both personal and observed burnout significantly shape career choices for otolaryngology trainees.
• Mitigating burnout is essential to prevent negative impacts on career progression and retention within Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.